Bauchi Govt. PEBEC Engaged MDAs, Private Sectors on Ease of Doing Business
By Adamu IMAM, Bauchi
Bauchi state government organized a one day workshop on business enabling reforms in collaboration with the presidential enabling business environment council, PEBEC, held at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Center, government house Bauchi.
Also referred to as town hall meeting, the workshop: theme “Business-Enabling Reforms and Investment Competitiveness”.
Declaring the workshop open, governor Bala Mohammed, said that since 2022 the state has deliberately moved from intent to impact, as it has enacted and gazetted the Bauchi state business enabling reform zone, harmonized taxes and levies to end multiple taxation.
represented by his deputy, Auwal Jatau, who is the Chairman, state ease of doing business council, reeled out achievements made so far by the government in furtherance of ease of doing business to attract investments to the state.
He said that, government launched the ease of doing business charter binding MDAs to service delivery and concretize the Bauchi State investment promotion law to strengthen the agency as a full one stop center for investors.
“We have further made considerable effort to ensure process automation and promote transparency of our processes. Specifically, we have digitalized business registration and construction permit processes.
“We have promoted the digital archiving of C of O in accordance with international best practice,” he added.
He further expressed that, the state level PPP has been straightened with amended legal constitutional framework, including guidelines, manuals and disclosure portal to attract investments.
The Governor maintained that the investment promotion agency has linked investors with partners and supportive credit institutions, and has adopted an aftercare and retention program.
Bala described the occasion as an opportunity provided to validate achievements recorded and highlight the gaps also desired inputs from the private sector’s live experiences as true key performance indicators to measure government’s pre-determined targets.
Noting that, seeking to ensure that abundant potentials in all sectors of the economy are harnessed toward experiencing inclusive development, adding that “we have developed a 10-year perspective plan that go beyond the current regime which provides a roadmap for defining a prosperous economic trajectory for citizens”.
Bala thanked the federal government for the leadership and the private sector for their resilience and sustained partnership, assuring that government will keep its side of every budget it makes, adding that with the cooperation of all, the state will go beyond the much that have been achieved between 2019 and 2026, to the position where enterprise is easy, fair and rewarding.
Earlier in her remarks, the Bauchi state commissioner of budget, economic planning and multi-lateral coordination, Hajiya Amina M Katagum, described the occasion as a demonstration of collective commitment in improving governance, strenghtening adaptability, enhancing service delivery, and fostering sustainable development for economic growth.
Also the Director General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu gave an overview of the council and the nationwide sub-national engagement tour, through virtually presentation during the workshop.
Participants were businessmen and women, entrepreneurial youths, and investors, with locally manufactured goods and locally made products such as date palms, tiger nuts, rice flour, fonio grains (acha), zobo powder, and dry soya milk powder, on exhibition.
